Waterproof bathing cap



July 30, 1968 s. BERGENS WATERPROOF BATHING CAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1, 1966 INVENTOK.

Bill Bergens l m F "Fig 2 July 30, 1968 BERGE'NS WATERPROOF BATHING CA}? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1966 Bill Bergens INVENTOR. mafia.

Atlanta United States Patent M 3,394,406 WATERPROOF BATHING CAP Bill Bergens, 1700 SW. 92nd Place,

Miami, Fla. 33156 Filed July 1, 1966, Ser. No. 562,321 4 Claims. (Cl. 2-68) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hollow bulbous and downwardly and forwardly opening body constructed of flexible fluid-impervious material and adapted to be pulled downwardly over and to snugly receive the head of a user for forming a bathing cap, the body including elongated continuous and inwardly projecting resilent rib-type seal means extending about its edge portions, a plurality of inflatable body-supporting, strengthening and reinforcing closed air passages inflatable from the exterior of said body through valve means provided therefor and externally accessible air inlet means for charging the interior of the body bound by the peripheral seal means, the air inlet means including a flexible inlet tube whose outlet end opens through one side of the body and whose other end is readily accessible by the wearers mouth when the cap is being worn and removably receivable in an externally mounted tubular receiver supported by the rear neckband marginal portion of the body when the air inlet tube is not being utilized to charge the interior of the body.

This invention relates to a novel and useful bathing cap and more specifically to a bathing cap comprising a hollow bulbous and downwardly and forwardly opening body constructed of flexible fluid-impervious material and adapted to be pulled downwardly over and to snugly receive the head of a user.

The bathing cap of the instant invention includes a rear neckband marginal portion and a forward brow or forehead band marginal portion interconnected by means of integral opposite side temple marginal portions and each of the marginal portions includes inwardly projecting means adapted to form a fluid-tight seal with the head of the wearer of the cap.

In addition to the above set forth basic features of the cap of the instant invention which may be considered more or less conventional, the bathing cap of the instant invention includes air inlet means adapted to pass air through the body from the exterior thereof and to the area of the interior of the cap bound by the aforementioned marginal portions whereby when the cap is applied to the head of the user the space between the cap and the head of the user bound by the aforementioned fluid seal forming marginal edge portions may be filled with air under pressure. In this manner, the seal forming marginal edge portions of the cap will have air under pressure disposed therebehind so as to further insure that water will not obtain entrance to the area defined between the head of the user and the cap. Still further, the aforementioned air inlet means includes an elongated flexible tube communicated at one end with the interior of the body of the cap and which is of a length adapted to have its other end engaged by the mouth of the user of the cap thereby enabling the latter to manually apply air under pressure beneath the cap.

In addition to being adapted to be inflated, the body of the cap includes a plurality of inflatable closed air passages extending through the airea of the body bound by the aforementioned seal forming marginal edge portions and valved air inlet means is provided for placing air under pressure within the inflatable air passages. The air passages radiate outwardly from a centrally disposed point 3,394,406 Patented July 30, 1968 on the body and terminate at their ends remote from the aforementioned point adjacent but spaced from the seal forming marginal edge portions. In this manner, the interior of the cap, when applied to the head of a user, is separated into several different areas which are communicated with each other. The inflatable air passages further serve as structural areas of the body of the cap which are strengthened and reinforced to some extent by the air passages and inasmuch as the air passages form ribs which project slightly inwardly of the adjacent inner surfaces of the cap, the air passages serve to insure that the portions of the body of the cap extending along the air passages will be maintained in spaced relation relative to the head of the wearer of the cap.

The main object of this invention is to provide a bathing cap having a configuration similar to conventional bathing caps and yet constructed in a manner whereby the bathing cap of the instant invention will offer greater protection against the entrance of water thereinto than that which would be afforded by a conventional bathing cap.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a bathing cap constructed in a manner whereby the area beneath the cap and between the body of the latter and the head of the wearer may be filled with air under pressure whereby the marginal edge portions of the cap including seal forming means adapted to engage the head of the wearer of the cap will be backed by air under pressure.

Still another object of this invention is to provide means for admitting air under pressure beneath the cap by the wearer of the cap after the cap has been put on.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cap in accordance with the preceding objects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the bathing cap of the instant invention illustrated applied to the head of a user, the user being illustrated in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 with a portion of the flexible air inlet line broken away;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary enlarged rear elevational view of the neckband portion of the cap with portions of the latter being broken away and illustrated in section so as to more clearly illustrate the manner in which the user of the cap may place air under pressure between the cap and his head.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates the bathing cap of the instant invention which may be seen to include a hollow bulbous body generally referred to by the reference numeral 12 which opens forwardly and downwardly and which is constructed of flexible fluid-impervious material such as rubber. As can best be seen from FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawings the cap 10 is adapted to be pulled downwardly and over the head of a user and includes a neckband portion 14, a brow or forehead band portion 16, and a pair of opposite side temple marginal edge portions 18.

An elongated and continuous inwardly projecting rib 20 is carried by the portions 14, 16 and 18 and defines a hollow air filled sealed tube which may be formed integrally with the body 12 and of the same material. Of course, the rib 20 is adapted to form a fluid-tight seal between the body 12 and the head of the user or wearer.

One side portion 22 of the body 12 has an air inlet opening 24 formed therethrough and one end of an elongated flexible tube 26 is secured to the body 12 about the opening 24. The end of the tube 26 remote from the opening 24 includes a manually operable air inlet valve 28. The tube 26 is of a length adapted to extend to the mouth of the wearer whereby the latter may open the valve 28 and manually inflate the interior of the body 12 bound by the rib 20. Further, the body 12 also defines an elongated housing or receiver 30 carried by the neckband portion 14 and open at one end adapted to receive the free end of the tube 26.

The cap further includes a chin strap 32 which may be adjustable in length and removably secured to opposite side portions of the body 12 adjacent the inner sections of the temple marginal portions 18 and the neckband portion 14 by means of snap fasteners 34.

The body 12 further includes means defining a plurality of inflatable closed air passages 36, 38, 40 and 4-2 which project inwardly of the body 12 and radiate outwardly from a centrally disposed point 44 and terminate at their ends remote from the point 44 spaced distances from the rib 20. The air passages 36, 38, 4-0 and 42 are communi cated at point 44 and the body 12 includes valved air inlet means 46 at point 44 operable from the exterior of the body 12.

The passages 36, 38, 40 and 42 may be inflated by the wearer of the cap 10 before the cap is put on by opening the air inlet means 46 and manually inflating the passages before the valved air inlet means is again closed. Then, the cap 10 may be put on in the usual manner and the chin strap 32 may be applied. Thereafter, the free end of the tube 26 may be withdrawn from the housing 30 and the valve 28 may be opened to enable the wearer of the cap 10 to manually inflate the area between the body 12 and the head of the wearer bound by the fluid seal forming rib 20. After the interior of the cap 10 has been inflated, the tube 26 may have its free end returned to a stored position within the housing 30 and the wearer of the cap may then swim in the water with increased assurance that the fluid seal forming rib and the air pressure beneath the body 12 of the cap 10 will prevent water from gaining access to the area beneath the body 12.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

.1. A waterproof bathing cap comprising a hollow bulbous and downwardly and forwardly opening body constructed of flexible fluid-impervious material and adapted to be pulled downwardly over and to snugly receive the head of the user and including a rear neckband marginal portion and a forward brow band marginal portion interconnected by means of integral opposite side temple marginal portions extending thcrebetwccn, said marginal portions including an elongated continuous and inwardly projecting resilient rib-type seal member adapted to form a fluid-tight seal with the back of the neck of the user as well as the forehead and temple areas of the user, said cap including air inlet means adapted to pass air through said body from the exterior thereof to the area of the interior thereof bound by said seal member and to retain said air within said area when said cap is being worn, said body including means defining a plurality of inflatable body supporting, strengthening and reinforcing closed air passages extending through the area of said body bound by said marginal portions, and valved air inlet means opening through the exterior or" said body and communicated with said passages, said air inlet means including an elongated flexible tube communicated at one end with the interior of said body and of a length adapted to have its other end engaged by the mouth of said wearer, said tube including means for selectively preventing the passage of air thercthrough from said one end to said other end, and exterior receiver means on said body in the rear marginal neckband marginal portion in which said other end and adjacent portions of said flexible tube are removably receivable for storage when said cap is being worn and after said interior thereof has been charged with air under pressure grcatzr than the ambient air pressure.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said air passages radiate outwardly from a Centrally disposed point on said body and terminate at their ends remote from said point adjacent but spaced from said seal defining means.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said valved air inlet means is disposed at said point.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said rib is hollow and closed to the ambient atmosphere and is formed integrally with said body and of the same material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 655,481 8/1900 Evans. 1,931,966 10/1933 Rhodes 2-68 2,392,576 1/1946 Caselle 9346 XR 3,259,912 7/1966 Lima et al. 2-68 3,321,772 5/1967 Arps et al. 2-68 0 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

H. HAMPTON HUNTER, Examiner. 

